Display system, device, and method

ABSTRACT

An assembly and method for updating a display assembly of a control panel is disclosed with optimal uniform illumination. In some instances, embodiments include efficient and cost effective methods for upgrading display assemblies without having to completely overhaul the electrical, mechanical, or wiring components already existing within the control panel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.15/488,286, filed on Apr. 14, 2017 and titled “DISPLAY SYSTEM, DEVICE,AND METHOD”, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/350,585 filed on Jun. 15, 2016, which are incorporated herein byreference in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present technology relates generally to replaceable units forelectrical and mechanical platforms, and more particularly, relates toretrofitting hardware onto pre-existing electrical and mechanicalplatforms for the purpose of enabling an enhanced visual display to theuser.

BACKGROUND

The cockpit or information display area presents the necessaryinformation that allows the pilot or driver to take control of theimmediate airplane, ship or vehicle. Often, the cockpit or informationdisplay area may include a set or arrangement of information systemsthat displays different types of information, such as control heading,speed, altitude, vertical navigation, lateral navigation, wind speed,fuel temperature, flight plan, speed control, navigation control and thelike.

Older airplanes, ships or vehicles often have outdated informationsystems as they present information in analog format via non-digitaldisplays, such as gauges and meters. However, there may be a preferenceto have such information presented in digital format, especially whenconsidering accuracy, power conservation, eliminating observationalerror and information storage concerns. However, the digitaloptimization of a cockpit or information display area can be expensiveand complex if the entire information system is completely overhauledwithout utilizing any of the original parts, such as the electrical,mechanical and wiring components. As such, there is a need to upgradeand digitally optimize outdated information systems of operationalplatforms in a cost-effective manner without having to eliminate theentire outdated information system.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS

According to various embodiments of the disclosed technology, disclosedis a method for updating a display assembly of a control panel thatincludes removing a non-electronic display panel from the control panel,where the internal wirings initially connected to a non-digital displaystill remain within the control panel. The method may also includeinstalling a new electronic display panel with a front end and a backend onto a surface of the control panel and coupling an electronicmodule that was once connected to the non-digital display to the backend of the new electronic display panel. The front end of the digitaldisplay may be installed to be aligned with a surface plane of thecontrol panel with the back end of the new electronic display panelconnected to the already existent internal writings of the electronicmodule so that internal wirings within the control panel remaininvariant even when updating the control panel to include the newelectronic display panel.

Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the featuresin accordance with embodiments of the invention. The summary is notintended to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined solely bythe claims attached hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The technology disclosed herein, in accordance with one or more variousembodiments, is described in detail with reference to the followingfigures. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only andmerely depict typical or example embodiments of the disclosedtechnology. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader'sunderstanding of the disclosed technology and shall not be consideredlimiting of the breadth, scope, or applicability thereof. It should benoted that for clarity and ease of illustration these drawings are notnecessarily made to scale.

Some of the figures included herein illustrate various embodiments ofthe invention from different viewing angles. Although the accompanyingdescriptive text may refer to such views as “top,” “bottom” or “side”views, such references are merely descriptive and do not imply orrequire that the invention be implemented or used in a particularspatial orientation unless explicitly stated otherwise.

FIG. 1 illustrates a control panel of an operational platform with anelectronic display panel according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a control panel of an operation platform with anelectronic display panel according to one embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a control panel of an operationplatform with an electronic display panel according to one embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates a display assembly with an electronic display panelconnected to an electronic module according to one embodiment.

FIG. 5A illustrates a front view of a display assembly according to oneembodiment.

FIG. 5B illustrates a back perspective view of electronic modulesaccording to one embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates a graphical representation of installed internalwirings for a display assembly according to one embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a diffuser sheet with a focusing lens for theelectronic display panel according to one embodiment

FIG. 8 illustrates a comparison of phase space and angular space whenray tracing light rays of the display panel according to one embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method for installing an updatedelectronic display panel according to one embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary computer module that may be used whenimplementing various features of embodiments of the invention.

The figures are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the inventionto the precise form disclosed. It should be understood that theinvention can be practiced with modification and alteration, and thatthe disclosed technology be limited only by the claims and theequivalents thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The following description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but ismade merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of thedisclosed embodiments. The present embodiments address the problemsdescribed in the background while also addressing other additionalproblems as will be seen from the following detailed description.Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a full understandingof various aspects of the subject disclosure. It will be apparent,however, to one ordinarily skilled in the art that various aspects ofthe subject disclosure may be practiced without some of these specificdetails. In other instances, well-known structures and techniques havenot been shown in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the subjectdisclosure.

Some embodiments of the disclosure provide a display assembly to beinstalled or retrofitted onto an existing control panel. Such controlpanels may include an instrument board or dashboard with one or moredisplay panels that display information and control features that enablethe viewer to effectively control the operational platform. By way ofexample only, the operational platform may be an aircraft, a groundvehicle, spaceship, watercraft, and other manned or unmanned platforms.

In some embodiments, the display assembly includes an electronicdisplay, where the electronic display is connected to an electronicmodule so that digital information is displayed on the electronicdisplay using optoelectronic applications. By way of example, theelectronic module may include the original and already existingelectrical wirings already contained within its operational platform. Assuch, in some instances, the original writings of the electronic modulemay be connected to a modern or new electronic display. Additionally,this further allows the rearrangement of how information may bedisplayed to the pilot or user without having to overhaul the entireexisting electronic module or wirings already contained within theoperational platform.

FIG. 1 illustrates a control panel 100 of an operational platform withan electronic display panel 104 according to one embodiment. Asdepicted, the control panel 100 may also include a plurality of analogand non-digital display component, such as buttons 101, gauges 102 andswitches 103 that display information and provide control mechanisms.However, as briefly discussed above, there may be a need to update thenon-digital display components to transmit digital information,especially when considering accuracy, power conservation, eliminatingobservational error and information storage concerns. As such, some orall of the non-digital display components may be updated so that anelectronic display panel 104 may be installed, thus making it easier forthe pilot or viewer to quickly and easily observe the displayedinformation. In some instances, the electronic display panel 104 may bea Liquid Crystal Display (hereinafter “LCD”) panel.

As illustrated, FIG. 1 shows the installation of an electronic displaypanel 104, as the electronic display panel 104 is retrofitted onto thecontrol panel 100 to now replace what was once a non-digital displaycomponent 101, 102, 103. In some instances, all non-digital displaycomponents 101, 102, 103 may be modified to display informationdigitally via an electronic display panel 104. However, in otherinstances, select non-digital display components 101, 102, 103 mayremain so that the control panel 100 displays both digital and analogforms of information. Therefore, by removing the non-digital displaycomponent 101, 102, 103, the space and area remaining may be used toretrofit an electronic display with the same size and dimensions of itsnon-digital display component 101, 102, 103 counterpart.

FIG. 2 illustrates a control panel 200 of an operation platform with aplurality of electronic display panels 201, 202, 203, 204 according toone embodiment. In this particular example, each and every panel ofnon-digital display component (not shown here) has already been removedso that the associated data from the removed panels are configured todisplay information digitally via electronic display panels 201, 202,203, 204. As such, the pilot or viewer now sees all informationdisplayed on the control panel 200 in a digital format. However, asdescribed in FIG. 1, the information displayed on the control panel 200may include both digital and analog forms of information.

FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of a control panel 300 of an operationplatform with electronic display panels 302 a, 302 b according to oneembodiment. Here, FIG. 3 shows how certain components may be modified topresent information digitally. For example, the non-digital displaycomponents may have been replaced to now include an electronic displaypanel 302 a, 302 b. Additionally, behind each newly installed electronicdisplay panel 302 a, 302 b is the original electronic module 302 b, 303b, which may have been the exact same electronic module 302 b, 303 bused in connection with the non-digital display panel component. Thusthe electronic module 302 b, 303 b of the non-digital display componentsmay be recycled and modified by using its same wires and connecting ontothe electronic display panel 302 a, 302 b to then display digitalinformation.

By way of example only, the electronic assembly units may be“line-replaceable units” (LRU), which are modular components of anairplane, or any other operational platform. The LRU may be configuredso that the electronic assembly units may be quickly installed orretrofitted at any operating location without the need to overhaul theoperational platforms already existing wiring.

As further depicted, the electronic module 302 b, 303 b may be fittedwithin its determined aperture or opening. By way of example, the lengthand width of the aperture or opening may be identical to the length andwidth of the corresponding already existing electronic module 302 b, 303b, thus allowing the electronic module 302 b, 303 b to be securelypositioned within the control panel. As illustrated, the electronicmodule 302 b, 303 b may be placed immediately behind the electronicdisplay panel 302 a, 303 a, so that each electronic module 302 a, 302 bis connected to its own electronic display panel 302 a, 303 a. This mayeasily allow the retrofitting of electronic modules 302 b, 303 b, suchthat the electronic modules 302 b, 303 b may be easily replaced andmodified as needed without disrupting the other electrical andmechanical components of the other electronic modules 302 b, 303 b andelectronic display panels 302 a, 303 a.

In some instances, the electronic display panels 302 a, 303 a may bepositioned to be fitted or positioned against the top surface of thecontrol panel 301. As depicted, the surface plane of the electronicdisplay panel 302 a, 303 a may be aligned to be on the same surfaceplane as the control panel 301. In some instances, the electronicdisplay panels 302 a, 303 a may have a width dimension of D and theaperture or opening that the electronic display panels 302 a, 303 acovers may have a width dimension of d, where D is greater than d. Insuch instances, the area of the electronic display panels 302 a, 303 ais greater than the aperture or opening.

FIG. 4 illustrates a display assembly 400 with an electronic displaypanel 401 and electronic module 402. In some instances, the electronicmodule 402 may contain a plurality of different electrical hardware, orotherwise known as electronic assembly units 403, 404, 405, 406 to beindividually connected or detached from the display electronic unit 402.Thus, a pilot or viewer may actively select the particular electronicassembly units 403, 404, 405, 406 to be included onto the electronicmodule 402 depending on the type of information the pilot or viewerwishes to see on the control panel. For example, some of the electricalhardware that may be fitted or retrofitted onto the display electronicunit 402 may include a charge coupled device camera 403, missionprocessor unit 404, loading and storage element 405, data transferelement 406, and the like. Because these individual electronic assemblyunits 403, 404, 405, 406 may be easily retrofitted onto the displayelectronic unit 402, this allows for various and specific electronicassembly units 403, 404, 405, 406 to be in communication and integratedonto preexisting platforms.

Each of the electronic assembly units 403, 404, 405, 406 may beconnected to the electronic display panel 401 via internal wires so thatthe digital signals from the electronic assembly units 403, 404, 405,406 are relayed to the electronic display panel 401. In some instances,the internal wires may be existing wires that were already containedwithin the operational platform and were attached to the alreadyexisting individual electronic assembly units 403, 404, 405, 406. Insuch cases, the already existing internal wirings may then used toattach onto the newly installed electronic display panel 401 so that thealready existent electronic assembly units that were not displayinginformation digitally to the user, is now displayed in such a manner. Inother words, where the original internal wires are used to establish aconnection with the electronic display panel 401, the internal wirevolume remains invariant when installing one or more electronic displaypanels 401. This ensures that the removal of old analog system andupgrading to electronic displays can be done without increasing wiringcomplexity and weight. This further allows for the retrofitting orupdating old information systems at a relatively low cost without theneed to completely overhaul the entire information system.

Additionally, the display assembly 400 may be a multi-function display.The one or more display panels 401 in this particular example maydisplay information with multiple soft keys that can be used to displayinformation to the user, such as a pilot in a military or commercialaircraft. Furthermore, the multi-function display may include weaponsreplaceable assemblies (WRA), or otherwise referred to as replaceableunits. However, as used herein, the term WRA will be used to refer toany replaceable module component of a platform, whether or not it is aweapons system. Accordingly, typical WRAs include Flight Data Recorders(FDR), Removable Memory Units (RMU), Terrain Awareness Avoidance Units(TAWS), Mission Data Loaders (MDL), Data Loaders (DL), Data Recorders(DR), Audio/Video Recorders (AVR), Data Transfer Units (DTU), DataTransfer Devices (DTD), map storage devices, collision avoidancesystems, crash survivable data recorders, and many others. The aboveWRAs create a non-exclusive, non-complete and possibly-overlapping set,and are given simply for reference.

FIG. 5A illustrates a front view of a display assembly 500A with aplurality of display panels 501A, 502A, 503A according to oneembodiment. The control panel 504A may have apertures or openings 501A,502A, 503A. As disclosed in FIG. 5B, which is a rear view of the displayassembly 500A, electronic assembly units may be placed within thoseaperture or openings 501A, 502A, 503A as depicted in FIG. 5A. BecauseFIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate the same display assembly with 5A depictingthe front view and 5B depicting the rear view, both FIGS. 5A and 5B willbe explained herein together.

In accordance with this particular example, three individual electronicdisplay panels (not shown here) may be installed to lay over theelectronic assembly units over each of the apertures or openings 501A,502A, 503A. In some instances, the surface area of the electronicdisplay panel s may be greater than the area of the aperture or openings501A, 502A, 503A that will include the electronic modules 501B, 502B,503B.

Additionally, FIG. 5A illustrates a display assembly with a plurality ofdisplay panels 501A, 501B that are in analog and non-digital format. Byway of example only, a control panel, such as an aerial cockpit ordashboard, may include one or more analog display panels 501, 502, suchas with the use of meters and gauges. Because if such informationpresented on the meters and gauges are represented digitally, theinformation may be transferred, processed, and even stored digitally,which are features and characteristics that cannot be performed byanalog display. As such, in the event that digital information is to bepresented, a processor may be present and connected to a bus thattransfers data of all of the connected electronic assembly units to theprocessor. The bus may then be used as a communication channel amongstthe electronic assembly units to provide high flexibility and build adata network from the data collected and generated form the electronicassembly units. By way of example only, the input end of the bus may becustomizable, so that the electronic assembly units may be easilyreplaced with other types depending on the type of information thatneeds to be presented on the display panels 501A, 501B. The bus may befurther customizable so that it can utilize both analog and digitalsignals.

In some instances, one large electronic display panel (not shown here)may be used to cover the entire available aperture or openings 501A,502A, 503A present. Additionally, because the installed electronicdisplay panel is to be placed on top of the control panel 504A, the oneor more electronic display panels may be used to cover the one or moreaperture or openings 501A, 502A, 503A.

FIG. 6 illustrates a graphical representation of installed wirings for adisplay assembly according to one embodiment. FIG. 6 illustrates agraphical representation of a wiring for a display assembly 600according to one embodiment. Here, the figure illustrates a generalfunction of ƒ(x, y, z_(i), t) where ƒ(x, y, z_(i)) is a display functionfor the i^(th) display panel, as more than one display panel may beconfigured onto the control panel. Additionally, x_(i)(t), y_(i)(t) is awired signal function over time, t, for the i^(th) display. As a result,the display assembly 600 with a plurality of electronic assembly unitson an existing display electronic unit may be installed, thus avoidingtraditional constraints of fixed display panels that displays fixedinformation. In other words, the display assembly 600 is not directlydependent on the specific history of the various internal wirings 601,but rather though the general specification constraints of theelectronic display panel. This is because the electronic modules may beconnected or unconnected to a LCD display panel 602. The LCD displaypanel 602 may be configured with an electrical internal wiring 601 toconnect the LCD display panel 602 to the electronic module. Thus, aplurality of separate electronic modules may be individually connectedto the LCD display panel 602, allowing for different and variedinformation to be displayed on the LCD display panel 602. In someinstances, more than one electronic modules may be connected to the sameLCD display panel 602, thus giving architectural versatility to thecontrol panel or information display area without having tosignificantly overhaul or modify the core system components of thecontrol panel. However, it should be noted that the LCD display panel602 may include other display panel types, such as cathode ray tubedisplay, plasma display, and organic light emitting diode device by wayof example only.

FIG. 7 illustrates a diffuser sheet 701 with a focusing lens 700, 702for the display panel in the display assembly according to oneembodiment. Where the display panel is an LED panel, a backlight unit isplaced behind the LCD panel as a light source. A backlight unit isrequired because LCDs do not produce light by themselves and requires alight source to produce a visible image on the display panel. As such,the backlight units may illuminate the LCD from the side or back of thedisplay panel. In some instances, the backlight unit may include acollimator immediately in front of the backlight unit, which may be aillumination matrix unit. Furthermore, the illumination matrix unit mayinclude LCDs in some instances. A collimator takes the light rays fromthe backlight unit and configures the light rays to be parallel with oneanother, resulting in a minimal spreading of the light beams as thelight beams propagate.

In some embodiments, the light source from the backlight of the LCD mayalso be passed through a diffuser 701, which may further provide agreater degree of light distribution and intensity. Thus, the diffuser701 can spread light evenly across a surface, and further minimize orremove high intensity bright spots to help provide a uniformillumination on the display panel.

Dual focusing lens 700, 702 may be placed on opposite ends of thediffuser 701. The dual focusing lens may further focus the collimatedray bundles. The total focusing power of the dual focusing lens 700, 702may depend on the distance, d, between the dual focusing lens 700, 702.A closer distance between the two focusing lens 700, 702 results in ahigher total focusing power while a further distance apart between thetwo focusing lens 700, 702 results in a lower total focusing power.Thus, the focusing power may be adjusted with the distance, d, of thetwo focusing lens 700, 702.

FIG. 8 illustrates a comparison of performing a ray tracing model 800 ofthe light ray bundles coming from the light source in phase space 802and angular space 801 according to one embodiment. The purpose of raytracing is to provide a detailed prediction of an optical performance ofa light source in a display panel for enhanced optical performance.Where the display panel is a LCD panel with a backlight unit, the raytracing is performed on the light rays emitted from the backlight unit.The optical performance is characterized quantitatively as a function ofparameters that are defined to model the structure and properties of theof the backlight unit. Such parameters may include the dimension of thebacklight unit, number and location of the lamps, shape of lampreflector, density or fill factor gradation, pattern of scattering inkdots, and the like. Some parameters may be assigned at fixed valueswhile other parameters may change in its value to achieve an improvedoptical performance, thus allowing the ray tracing model to determine animproved performance of the backlight unit (i.e., brightness andluminance uniformity).

However, utilizing the ray tracing model 800 based on radiance can beexpensive and time-consuming when the number of photons used to simulatethe performance of the backlight unit is very large. Therefore, it isdesirable to find an optimization method for locating the fewestfunction evaluations as possible. This can be achieved by directing thetracing model to each pixel in the image and predicting how much lightis reflected through each pixel in a two-dimensional environmentanalysis.

As depicted in FIG. 8, the ray tracing model 800 can be determined usingangular space 801, where K is the photometric quantity of the backlightunit and can be determined in radiance in radiometric units or luminancein photometric units. Additionally, the ray tracing model 800 can alsobe determined using phase space 802, such as a two-dimensional systemalong a phase plane, or otherwise known as a rectangular system. Thisphase space 802 allows the ray tracing model 800 to be determined foreach two dimensional pixel on the display panel. The relationshipbetween the photometric qualities of the backlight unit of the displaypanel along the phase space 802 can be determined by modelling orpredicting the number of light rays passing through the selectedphase-space domains, such as pixels or select rectangular spaces. Thus,an arbitrary bundle of light rays from the backlight unit passingthrough a given plane (x, y) can be presented as a multiplicity ofpoints in phase space.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a method 900 for updating a displayassembly of a control panel. The method 900 may include removing ananalog or non-electronic display panel from the control panel at step910. The internal wirings within the control panel used with the analogor non-electronic display panel may remain in the control panel.

Next, the method may proceed to step 920, where a new electronic displaypanel is installed onto the surface of the control panel. Next, themethod may proceed to step 930, where an electronic module that was onceconnected to the non-electronic display panel is now coupled to the newelectronic display panel. The new electronic display panel may beinstalled so that it is aligned with a surface plane of the controlpanel with the back end of the new electronic display panel connected tothe already existent internal wirings of the electronic module. Byre-using the internal wirings, the internal wirings within the controlpanel remain invariant even when replacing an outdated display systemfor a newer one, such as an electronic display panel. This not onlysaves costs, but also eliminates complexity and weight associated withthe internal wirings.

There may be a new electronic display panel for each electronic module.In other instances, a single electronic display panel may be used toconnect with a plurality of electronic modules via the internal wiringsin the control panel.

To enhance the illumination of the display panel, where the displaypanel is a LCD panel, the exemplary process may proceed to operation930, by modeling a performance of a light source of the display panel topredict a light ray's path and reflectance through pixels on an imageplane. In some embodiments, the light ray is a radiance path and itspredicted path may be determined in a two dimensional phase spaceenvironment.

As used herein, the term module might describe a given unit offunctionality that can be performed in accordance with one or moreembodiments of the present invention. As used herein, a module might beimplemented utilizing any form of hardware, software, or a combinationthereof. For example, one or more processors, controllers, ASICs, PLAs,PALs, CPLDs, FPGAs, logical components, software routines or othermechanisms might be implemented to make up a module. In implementation,the various modules described herein might be implemented as discretemodules or the functions and features described can be shared in part orin total among one or more modules. In other words, as would be apparentto one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this description, thevarious features and functionality described herein may be implementedin any given application and can be implemented in one or more separateor shared modules in various combinations and permutations. Even thoughvarious features or elements of functionality may be individuallydescribed or claimed as separate modules, one of ordinary skill in theart will understand that these features and functionality can be sharedamong one or more common software and hardware elements, and suchdescription shall not require or imply that separate hardware orsoftware components are used to implement such features orfunctionality.

Where components or modules of the invention are implemented in whole orin part using software, in one embodiment, these software elements canbe implemented to operate with a computing or processing module capableof carrying out the functionality described with respect thereto. Onesuch example computing module is shown in FIG. 10. Various embodimentsare described in terms of this example-computing module 1000. Afterreading this description, it will become apparent to a person skilled inthe relevant art how to implement the invention using other computingmodules or architectures.

Referring now to FIG. 10, computing module 1000 may represent, forexample, computing or processing capabilities found within desktop,laptop and notebook computers; hand-held computing devices (PDA's, smartphones, cell phones, palmtops, etc.); mainframes, supercomputers,workstations or servers; or any other type of special-purpose orgeneral-purpose computing devices as may be desirable or appropriate fora given application or environment. Computing module 1000 might alsorepresent computing capabilities embedded within or otherwise availableto a given device. For example, a computing module might be found inother electronic devices such as, for example, digital cameras,navigation systems, cellular telephones, portable computing devices,modems, routers, WAPs, terminals and other electronic devices that mightinclude some form of processing capability.

Computing module 1000 might include, for example, one or moreprocessors, controllers, control modules, or other processing devices,such as a processor 1004. Processor 1004 might be implemented using ageneral-purpose or special-purpose processing engine such as, forexample, a microprocessor, controller, or other control logic. In theillustrated example, processor 1004 is connected to a bus 1002, althoughany communication medium can be used to facilitate interaction withother components of computing module 1000 or to communicate externally.

Computing module 1000 might also include one or more memory modules,simply referred to herein as main memory 1008. For example, preferablyrandom access memory (RAM) or other dynamic memory, might be used forstoring information and instructions to be executed by processor 1004.Main memory 1008 might also be used for storing temporary variables orother intermediate information during execution of instructions to beexecuted by processor 1004. Computing module 1000 might likewise includea read only memory (“ROM”) or other static storage device coupled to bus1002 for storing static information and instructions for processor 1004.

The computing module 1000 might also include one or more various formsof information storage mechanism 1010, which might include, for example,a media drive 1012 and a storage unit interface 1020. The media drive1012 might include a drive or other mechanism to support fixed orremovable storage media 1014. For example, a hard disk drive, a floppydisk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an optical disk drive, a CD or DVDdrive (R or RW), or other removable or fixed media drive might beprovided. Accordingly, storage media 1014 might include, for example, ahard disk, a floppy disk, magnetic tape, cartridge, optical disk, a CDor DVD, or other fixed or removable medium that is read by, written toor accessed by media drive 1012. As these examples illustrate, thestorage media 1014 can include a computer usable storage medium havingstored therein computer software or data.

In alternative embodiments, information storage mechanism 1010 mightinclude other similar instrumentalities for allowing computer programsor other instructions or data to be loaded into computing module 1000.Such instrumentalities might include, for example, a fixed or removablestorage unit 1022 and an interface 1020. Examples of such storage units1022 and interfaces 1020 can include a program cartridge and cartridgeinterface, a removable memory (for example, a flash memory or otherremovable memory module) and memory slot, a PCMCIA slot and card, andother fixed or removable storage units 1022 and interfaces 1020 thatallow software and data to be transferred from the storage unit 1022 tocomputing module 1000.

Computing module 1000 might also include a communications interface1024. Communications interface 1024 might be used to allow software anddata to be transferred between computing module 1000 and externaldevices. Examples of communications interface 1024 might include a modemor softmodem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet, networkinterface card, WiMedia, IEEE 802.XX or other interface), acommunications port (such as for example, a USB port, IR port, RS232port Bluetooth® interface, or other port), or other communicationsinterface. Software and data transferred via communications interface1024 might typically be carried on signals, which can be electronic,electromagnetic (which includes optical) or other signals capable ofbeing exchanged by a given communications interface 1024. These signalsmight be provided to communications interface 1024 via a channel 1028.This channel 1028 might carry signals and might be implemented using awired or wireless communication medium. Some examples of a channel mightinclude a phone line, a cellular link, an RF link, an optical link, anetwork interface, a local or wide area network, and other wired orwireless communications channels.

In this document, the terms “computer program medium” and “computerusable medium” are used to generally refer to media such as, forexample, memory 1008, storage unit 1020, media 1014, and channel 1028.These and other various forms of computer program media or computerusable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one ormore instructions to a processing device for execution. Suchinstructions embodied on the medium, are generally referred to as“computer program code” or a “computer program product” (which may begrouped in the form of computer programs or other groupings). Whenexecuted, such instructions might enable the computing module 1000 toperform features or functions of the present invention as discussedherein.

While various embodiments of the disclosed technology have beendescribed above, it should be understood that they have been presentedby way of example only, and not of limitation. Likewise, the variousdiagrams may depict an example architectural or other configuration forthe disclosed technology, which is done to aid in understanding thefeatures and functionality that can be included in the disclosedtechnology. The disclosed technology is not restricted to theillustrated example architectures or configurations, but the desiredfeatures can be implemented using a variety of alternative architecturesand configurations. Indeed, it will be apparent to one of skill in theart how alternative functional, logical or physical partitioning andconfigurations can be implemented to implement the desired features ofthe technology disclosed herein. Also, a multitude of differentconstituent module names other than those depicted herein can be appliedto the various partitions. Additionally, with regard to flow diagrams,operational descriptions and method claims, the order in which the stepsare presented herein shall not mandate that various embodiments beimplemented to perform the recited functionality in the same orderunless the context dictates otherwise.

Although the disclosed technology is described above in terms of variousexemplary embodiments and implementations, it should be understood thatthe various features, aspects and functionality described in one or moreof the individual embodiments are not limited in their applicability tothe particular embodiment with which they are described, but instead canbe applied, alone or in various combinations, to one or more of theother embodiments of the disclosed technology, whether or not suchembodiments are described and whether or not such features are presentedas being a part of a described embodiment. Thus, the breadth and scopeof the technology disclosed herein should not be limited by any of theabove-described exemplary embodiments.

Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unlessotherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposedto limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” shouldbe read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like; the term“example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item indiscussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; the terms “a” or“an” should be read as meaning “at least one,” “one or more” or thelike; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,”“standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construedas limiting the item described to a given time period or to an itemavailable as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompassconventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may beavailable or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, wherethis document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known toone of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass thoseapparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in thefuture.

The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “atleast,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instancesshall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or requiredin instances where such broadening phrases may be absent. The use of theterm “module” does not imply that the components or functionalitydescribed or claimed as part of the module are all configured in acommon package. Indeed, any or all of the various components of amodule, whether control logic or other components, can be combined in asingle package or separately maintained and can further be distributedin multiple groupings or packages or across multiple locations.

Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are described interms of exemplary block diagrams, flow charts and other illustrations.As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art afterreading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their variousalternatives can be implemented without confinement to the illustratedexamples. For example, block diagrams and their accompanying descriptionshould not be construed as mandating a particular architecture orconfiguration.

What is claimed is:
 1. An updated display assembly of a control panelcomprising: an electronic display panel with a front end and a back end;an electronic module in contact with the back end of the display;wherein the front end of the electronic display panel is installed to bealigned with a surface plane of the control panel so that the back endof the electronic display panel is aligned to be connected to existentinternal wirings of the electronic module so that internal wiringswithin the control panel remain invariant even when updating the displayassembly to include the electronic display panel.
 2. The updated displayassembly of claim 1, wherein the electronic display panel is a liquidcrystal display with a backlight unit.
 3. The updated display assemblyof claim 2, wherein the electronic module comprises one or moreelectronic assembly units comprising one or more electronic hardware tobe retrofitted onto the electronic module.
 4. The updated displayassembly of claim 2, wherein the electronic display panel comprises acollimator in front of a backlight unit to collect light rays from thebacklight unit.
 5. The updated display assembly of claim 4, wherein theelectronic display panel comprises a diffuser to provide a more uniformillumination on the display by minimizing high intensity bright spots.6. The updated display assembly of claim 5, wherein the electronicdisplay panel comprises a first focus lens positioned next to a firstend of the diffuser and a second focus lens positioned next to a secondend of the diffuser to further focus light rays passing through thecollimator.
 7. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein the electronicdisplay panel achieves uniform illumination by modeling a performance ofa light source of the electronic display panel to predict a light ray'spath and reflectance through pixels on an image plane.
 8. The displayassembly of claim 7, wherein the modeling of the performance of thelight source is performed in a two dimensional phase space environment.